The soft cries of release echoed in Jason Morgan’s mind. As he awakened from the erotic dream, the taste of her lips lingered on his mouth. He ached to return to that place from long ago when the love a lifetime embedded itself so deeply into his soul that everyone who came after always paled in comparison.

Movement sounded in the next room. He welcomed a momentary sense of relief. If she found him like this again, she wouldn’t dismiss it. She was too smart for that. Suspicion would glitter in her brown eyes and he’d be forced to lie. Again.

There had to be a way out of this. His dreams couldn’t run his life. The past was over. He couldn’t go back. Even if sometimes the thought of it warmed his heart more than it had a right to.

The shrill ring of his cell phone cut into his thoughts. He glanced at his watch. Midnight was only minutes away. He tugged his cell from the clip on his belt. The caller ID glowed with information that made his heart race. With a quick glance over his shoulder at the cracked bedroom door, he answered the call.

“What are you doing?” he asked quietly. “Do you know what time it is?”

“Yeah, I couldn’t sleep without hearing your voice—”

“Keesha, don’t.” He swallowed the temptation to admit his need.

“I dreamed about you,” she said. “We were together...like we used to be.”

He ran a hand over his face. Images of their bodies joined together flashed before his eyes. He sighed. “I dreamed about you, too.”

“Sometimes, I can’t get us out of my head,” she said, “and I’ve tried so hard.”

Jason’s jaw tightened. He knew exactly how she tried. “Does he know you’re talking to me? Will it start a fight?”

Then nothing. Just the sound of her breath vibrated against his ear. He closed his eyes shut. So many times, he stayed awake all night just to watch her sleep and watch her chest rise and fall with each breath. What he would give to spend another sleepless night like that.

“Sometimes, I wish she was you.”

“Oh, Jason.”

His heart skipped a beat. “Say that again.”

“What?”

“My name. I need to hear it one more time before I go to sleep.”

“Jason...”

“Oh, Keesha.”

~* * *~

Nikolas Cassadine stared at the monitor. With midnight close at hand, he couldn’t believe she was still online. She was always early to bed and early to rise. What was keeping her up? Would it be so wrong to send her a quick message? Just to say hi...

But it wouldn’t just end with hello.

He stifled a low groan. This was more difficult than he ever imagined. The constant need to communicate with her nagged him day and especially at night. Moving on shouldn’t be this hard.

Then, his phone rang.

A look at the caller ID made him smile. Guilt threatened to attack him, but he pushed it away. She must have recognized his user name online, too.

“Honey, why are you calling me so late?” He cast a quick glance toward the adjoining suite. The bedroom had been quiet for awhile, but that didn’t mean anything. He whispered, “It’s hard to talk right now.”

“Nikolas, I’m sorry. It’s just that...” Sniffles swallowed the rest of her words.

“Dawn, why are you crying? Is everything okay?” Her boyfriend’s criminal record knew no bounds. Anxiety rippled through him. If Morgan had gotten her in trouble... He frowned. “What has Jason done?”

“Nothing,” she said. Her cries softened. “He’s not doing anything. Can you speak up a little? It’s been so long since I heard you.”

“I can’t be too loud.”

“Emily’s there.”

“Yes.” He paused. “Is Jason there?”

“He’s in the living room,” she said. “I think he fell asleep on the couch.”

Hope flared to life inside him. “Does he do that often?”

“If I answer that, then you’ll have to tell me about Emily’s sleeping habits and right now, I don’t want to know.”

“There are times when...”

“When what?”

“I wish she was you.” The confession came so easily. It had always been so easy to talk to her.

“I shouldn’t have called.” Her voice cracked. “Nikky, I...sometimes, I just need to hear you. I guess we haven’t moved on. Not the way we should. ”

“That sounds so sweet.”

“What?” she asked with a soft chuckle. “My desperation?”

“My name on your lips...” His breath caught for just a moment. “It makes me weak.”

~* * *~

Jagger Cates sat on the patio of his brownstone apartment. An untouched bottle of beer rested on the ground beside his foot. His cell phone lay on his thigh. He came outside to get some air. Bringing the cell phone had been an afterthought.

Yeah, right.

Midnight was too late to call. They had moved on. He had no right. Especially when someone else slept in his bed.

A cool breeze swept over him. He had to give testimony on a drug raid in the morning. If he showed up half asleep and fighting a cold, ADA Jensen would want his ass in a sling. He palmed his cell phone, stood and moved toward the sliding glass doors.

Before he could slide the doors apart, a sharp ring cut the silence. He didn’t bother checking the caller ID. He just answered.

“Yeah? It’s late. Who’s this?”

“Emily,” the delicate voice said. “Can we talk?”

He craned his neck to look upstairs. The bedroom looked dark. Maybe Keesha was asleep.

“For few minutes, I guess.” He returned to the chair and accepted the bizarre mixture of calm and excitement that claimed him. “Is everything okay?”

“I just needed to hear your voice.”

“Is Nikolas there?” Jagger frowned. If the prince ever hurt her...

“He’s working,” she said. “Is Keesha?”

“I think she’s asleep.”

“Oh.”

“What is it?”

“You were on my mind. You’re on there a lot. Jagger, I can’t get you out of my head.”

Tension slowly drained from his body. The sound of her voice
gave him untold joy and he accepted the forbidden pleasure. In the morning, he might regret it,
but for now, he'd take what it offered.